About us

Graphic Babbling was founded by Anna-Maija Rist. Having originally planned a career in academia, and working on a PhD in early linguistic and identity development in children, she had a change of heart following the birth of her first child in 2004. Having heard about the wonderful ‘colour workshops for babies’ method developed in her native Finland, she re-trained and started offering art sessions for under-ones in Aberdeen in April 2007. Due to demand, she also developed a class for toddlers, which started in August 2007; these preschooler sessions are now offered on a one-off site visit basis. She is a qualified musician and regularly complements the sessions with songs, sounds and rhymes. Her second baby arrived in May 2008 and is already a seasoned Graphic Babbler!

Anna-Maija knows from her own experience that being a parent can be an exciting, joyful, daunting and exhausting experience – sometimes with ‘four seasons in one day’. It is important for parent and child alike to find gentle activities that help break the domestic routine without overpowering either with excessive stimuli. Graphic Babbling aims to promote happy, relaxed and child-orientated interaction between parents and children through art-based exercises. Above all we maintain that shared happy moments are fundamental to early bonding, and that creative family activities enable both adult and child to learn from and about one another.

Graphic Babbling is open to babies and toddlers of all abilities and backgrounds. We are not exclusively a parent-and-child activity but also welcome grandparents, nannies and any other people involved in the care of the attending children.